Improvement in climbing apparatus



E. VON MENGDEN. Climbing Apparatus.

Patented Mar. 25, 1879.

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N4 PETERS. PNOTO-UTMQGRAPMEH. WASHINOTO UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDUARD VON MENGDEN, OF COLOGNE, PRUSSIA, GERMANY.

IMPROVEMENT IN CLIMBING APPARATUS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 213,715, dated March25, 1879; application filed December 17, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDUARD VON MENGDEN, of Cologne, Prussia, Germany,have invented a new and useful GlimbingApparatus, of which the followingis a specification:

The invention consists of two frames, made to surround the pole or mast,constructed similar to each other, except that the one is provided withsuitable handles to be griped by the hands, while the other is providedwith suitable brackets and fastenings for the feet to rest upon and. besecured thereto. These handles and brackets are connected with andoperate circular clutches, which are made to work against the surface ofthe pole or mast to be climbed, and when acted uponby the weight of thebody hold such frame firm in its position.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I represents a top view of theframe provided with handles. Fig. II is a front view of the same. Fig.III represents a top view of the frame provided with brackets for thefeet. Fig. 1V is a front view of the same. Fig. V shows the applicationof the frames on a pole or mast ready for operation.

Similar letters represent similar parts in all the figures.

A A are two arms, connected together at one end by a rod or bar, B,securely fastened to one of said arms, and attached to the other arm bymeans of a key or bolt, a, to allow the arms A A to be adjusted nearertogether or farther apart, to correspond with the diameter or thicknessof the pole or mast to he climbed. To the other end, d d, of these armsAA rods D D are hinged. One of these rods, D, is provided with a numberof holes, and the other rod, D, has a fork or jaw, g, at its end,between Which the rod D is made to work, and they are fastened togetherby means of a suitable pin or bolt, f.

The arms A A, sliding rod B, and hinged rods D D, when connected, form aframe capable of being enlarged or reduced in size, to correspond withthe diameter of the pole or mast on which the apparatus is to be used.

Near the ends of the arms A, where the rods D D are hinged, lugs O G areprovided, at the under side of said arms, to which levers G are hinged,capable of turning on their jointpins 0. The inner ends of these leversG form clutches h, made circular, to embrace as much as possible of thesurface of the pole or mast, and they are made rough or serrated attheir circular surface a. To the outer ends of these levers G handles HH (shown in Figs. 1 and II) are attached, to be taken hold of by thehands, and in Figs. III and IV frames M, to fit the shape of the foot,are attached.

Side pieces at may be attached to the after part of these frames M, toconfine the foot at the sides, and a suitable hole, m, may be made, toreceive the heel of the boot.

At the forward part of the frame M a suitable leather band or strap, L,in connection with a suitable strap and buckle, is arranged, to enablethe foot to be firmly secured and fastened to this foot-frame M.

To facilitate the packing of the apparatus, the projecting handles H andfoot-frames M may be hinged to the levers, turning on the joint-pins cin the jaws G, as shown at k, and secured in their proper position whenin use by means of a pin or key, t.

To the inner ends of the handles H, or to the levers Gr, provided withsaid handles, a cord or strap, K, is firmly attached, adapted to passaround the body of the operator, for security or protection.

The operation of the machine is as follows, and fully represented inFig. V:

The frame provided with the foot-frames M is placed around the lowerpart of the pole or mast to be climbed, and said frame made of such sizeas to fit closely the pole or mast by means of the sliding rod B and thehinged connecting-rods or levers D and D, as above described. The otherframe, provided with the handles H H, is then fitted around the pole ormast in the same manner as high up as the operator can convenientlyreach. The feet of the operator are then fastened to the footframes M Mby means of the leather bands or straps L, and the strap or band K onthe upper frame is passed under the arms and around the back of theoperator. The object of this strap or cord K is to prevent the operatorfrom falling in case he should from any cause whatsoever loosen his holdfrom the handles H.

When the operator throws his whole weight upon the handles H, theclutches h h of this upper frame will firmly glipe the pole or mast, andthus hold the upper frame in its position on the pole or mast. Thedrawing upward of his feet while hanging on the handles H II will loosenthe clutches h h and the lower frame from the pole or mast, and enablethe operator to move the lower frame higher up on the pole or mast, hisfeet being firmly attached to said lower frame, as above described. Assoon as the operator brings his weight again upon the foot-frames M M ofthis lower frame the clutches h h of the same will gripe firmly thepole, and thereby securely fix the lower frame into that position towhich the operator has moved it by the drawing of his feet upward, andbythrowing his whole weight upon the foot-frames M M the lower framewill be firmly secured in position. The operator then moves the upperframe higher up on the pole or mast, attaches the same in that positionby throwing again his weight on the handles H'H, and the same operationwill be repeated.

If from any cause whatsoever the operator should loose his hold on thehandles 11 H, the strap or cord K will prevent his falling, and at thesame time bring part of his weight upon the levers G or handles II, towhich this cord or strap K is attached, and the upper frame will be heldin its position by causing the clutches h h to gripe the pole.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a climbing apparatus, arms A A, connected through a sliding rod,B, at one end and hinged rods or levers D D at their other ends, incombination with levers G G, hinged to said arms A A, said levers beingprovided at their inner ends with clutch-pieces h h, and at their outerends either with handles H H or with foot-frames M M and suitable strapsL L, the whole being arranged in the manner and for the purposesubstantially as set forth.

2. In a climbing apparatus, aframe consistin g of arms A A, slidingconnecting-rod B, and hinged connecting-rods D D, with hinged levers Gprovided withcluteh-pieces h h at their inner ends and handles H H attheir outer ends, in combination with a similar frame having hingedlevers G G, provided with clutchpieces h h at their inner ends and footframes M M, with suitable straps L L, at their outer ends, the wholebeing arranged to operate in the manner and for the purposesubstantially as described.

3. In a climbing apparatus, aframe consisting of armsAA, slidingconnecting-rod B, and hinged connecting-bars D D, with hinged levers GG, provided with clutch-pieces h h at their inner ends and handles H Hat their outer ends, in combination with a cord or band, K, attachedeither to said levers G G or to the handles 11 II, in the manner and forthe purpose substantially as set forth and described.

EDUARD VON MEN GDEN Witnesses:

ADOLPH Mi'ILLER, JULIUS KAESEN.

